Reviews by Maltzilla:

On tap at the Hunahpu's Release Party. Probably my favorite treatment of this beer, except maybe for the bourbon aged version when it was first released several months back.The beer is charcoal-black and pours thick and slowly, like cascading black lava, onto the snifter. Leaves about a 1/3 of an inch of foamy head at the top. Head has the color of fresh cappuccino. In the nose I get a lot of sweet brandy notes with hints of alcohol heat, but not overbearing at all. Also some very nice vanilla, caramelized sugar and toffee. The front palate gets that sweet brandy heat almost right away, followed by oak, dark chocolate, vanilla and in the back that ancho chile that made hunahpu's famous creeps in slowly. This is definitely a sipping beer, the mouth-feel is robust and substantial. Viscous. Extraordinary!

More User Reviews:

A - As dark as a beer can get. Even the bubbles are the darkest I've ever seen. Pours a thick motor oil consistency. Lots of dark lacing around the glass. A very good looking stout.

S - You definitely get the apple brandy right off the bat. Oak, Vanllla, Chocolate, Maple Syrup with just a hint of peppers.

T - So big and boozy. The apple brandy stands out but in a good way. It definitely hides the peppers a little bit compared to regular Hunahpu but it's a nice added layer of complexity. Huge vanilla, chocolate and maple syrup notes. Also dark fruits and molasses. The apple brandy after taste if awesome.

M - Amazing feel. Creamy and velvety with a little carbonation.

O - This is one of those beers that I checked off that I'd never get to try. So glad to have the opportunity to have this and have it live up to the hype. One of the best beers I've ever had. I gave up a lot to get this but it was worth every penny.

The beer pours a black color with a huge brown head. The aroma has a ton of chocolate in it, as well as some roasted malt, oak and brandy. The flavor is similar. Upfront I get a ton of sweet apple brandy notes, with some chocolate and roasted malt coming through as well. I get a hint of spiciness and pepper, but the brandy and chocolate come through the strongest. Thick mouthfeel and medium carbonation. Awesome.

A huge thanks to urwithdave for sending me this extremely limited bottle. Bottle 36/84, opened at Stakem's on 4/2/11.

A: Black with hints of burgundy at the edges. A small one finger head. Very little lacing, but the beer stains the sides of the glass.

S: Apples, cinnamon, chocolate and hints of the chiles.

T: With the addition of the apple flavors that come from the time in the barrels mixed with the strong cinnamon flavors that Hunahpu's already carries. You end up with something like chocolate covered warm apple pie with chiles on top and a side of coffee. The flavors from the apple brandy really complement this beer well.

M: Thick and smooth, fully coating the mouth and throat. Pretty much the same as the regular version.

O: A great beer that I'm very grateful to have had the chance to try. Joey and Co. did a fantastic job with this one. I doubt I'll ever get to taste this one again. But, it was very good. Thanks again Dave.

Black in color with a small dark brown head. As with most imperial stouts from Cigar City, this one is remarkably thick and viscous, as well as shiny. Nobody makes a better looking stout than Cigar City. This leaves dots of stick and an oily sheen on its way down.

A completely transformed aroma, most notably being the lack of chile character that is present in the base beer. That being said, nothing is actually missed, because this smells fantastic. Layers of rich brandy and chocolate stack atop one another, with nearly no unpleasant alcohol fumes. There's some vanilla and wood complementing, but the sweet brandy and chocolate notes combine together remarkably well.

The flavor is similar to the aroma, though more complex. Again, layers of chocolates and sweet, earthy, woody brandy play against one another remarkably well, along with some mild roast, and earth.

I don't know about anyone else but reviewing A RIS is one of the hardest "beers" to review. at this level these are almost like brandy the name of the beer has because of where its aged.

A: Dark as night, did I say dark yes its black. I have seen motor oil less dark. Blacker than black.Yet up in the sunlight there are hints of orange, caramel etc It had a nice inch of head that has foam clinging to the glass for quite a while, brown lacing. What is funny most good RIS has these characters, and is hard for me to tell a difference, I guess I need a side by side, wait I did 1 here.

S: Well as in the name this beer is aged in apple brandy, so what hit you first is alcohol. as expected. Very nice smell to me. after you get past that, there are no hops detected of course, then you get burnt chocolate, cinnamon sweetness, Apple, vanilla, and molasses. of course it takes on the barrel

T: Well this is where this beer shines. Beautiful mix of alcohol, apple brandy is the main favor of course, but vanilla, and molasses, burnt coffee, chocolate, its very complex. no hops detected and its a ris so that burn is there.

M: not much carbonation, very smooth and not as creamy as some.

D: I struggled with this 1, RIS at 11% are not something even I can just down its a sipper, but I think that fits the style, so I debated the rating but heck its my review, so I give it a 4.I had 2 of these and i loved it but I had to switch to the other aged one before it was gone.

750ml gold waxed bottle. 4oz. sample poured into a Founders snifter. Reviewed from notes. Shared by capra12 at a tasting on 10/16/10.

A: Pours a thick, dark mocha head with very little retention that fades quickly into a thick ring of bubbles atop an opaque black beer. Lacing is spotty with no cling.

S: Slight soy sauce covered in booze. Chocolate, fudge, very subtle roasted malt in the back. Nose is complex but a bit muted and overwhelmed by the booze overall.

T: Apple brandy is surprisingly prominent upfront. Cocoa, brownie, and a good compliment to the chili. Hot (boozy). Bitter roasted malt at the middle and end with a sweet soy sauce flavor flowing in right before the finish. Finish is booze with an aftertaste of liquorice and roasted malt and cocoa powder.

M: Medium to full bodied, lightly carbonated, oily, and smooth in the mouth. A bit hot and boozy at points. Finish is accented with an aftertaste that is sticky and lingers.

D: Apple brandy barrels is a near perfect compliment to the chilis present in the base Hunahpu's. That being said, I'm not that big a fan of the bottled version of the base beer. Worth a try but not if you have to jump through hoops or give up the half the cellar to get it.

A: Thick, oily and black with almost no head and minimal lacing, but this is a big stout and for what it is, this beer looks spectacular

S: Holy crap, this smells amazing: boozy and syrupy with so much maple syrup, brandy, and oak; there is a touch of peppers and vanilla and apple and other dark fruits but mostly this is a syrupy, boozy, vinous glass of awesomeness

T: This beer is amazing; so much booze and what's with the maple syrup flavors? dark fruits, brandy, peppers, vanilla, oak, roasted malts; man oh man, this is a good beer

similar to nose, spices were a bit faint and hidden just beneath the smooth brandy. chocolate and light roasted malts really blended together to make this is way too smooth and easy. the brandy complimented this perfectly.